March 2025 a busy month for Basin law enforcement

MOSES LAKE — March was a busy month for law enforcement with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department and Adams County Sheriff’s Office all involved in investigations.  

The month had high-speed chases, drive-by shootings and suspects fleeing from law enforcement, along with some other cases. Here is a recap of the cases that occurred in March.  

“Even at our busiest, we still have fantastic officers who never stop working, who all are focused on creating a safer community,” MLPD Captain Jeff Sursely said. “This past month is just a good reading of that dedication that our officers have to put in the number of hours that it took to quickly solve all of these crimes.”  

To begin the month, a 15-year-old was sentenced for the shooting at the Grant County Fairgrounds last August. The suspect fired one round that injured both a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl. GCSO investigators said the altercation began as a verbal disagreement between rival gang members. The shooter pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and firearm enhancement charges. He will serve a sentence of 90 to 144 weeks - a maximum of a little more than 2.5 years – in a juvenile detention facility.  

On March 3, the Adams County Sheriff's Office received a call about two suspicious males in the 800 block of South Taylor Road in Othello. While deputies were attempting to make contact, one of the suspects ran off into a nearby field. Roberto Faustino Ramirez, 25, of Othello, was booked into jail for suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and three outstanding warrants. The warrants included third-degree possession of stolen property, fourth-degree assault and vehicle prowling.   

On March 5, a threat was made to Columbia Middle School for March 7. The Moses Lake School District worked alongside the MLPD to secure the premises and add increased police presence. Sursely said the threat “deemed to be unfounded.” 

Three days later, on March 8, one subject, later identified as Monty Dent, was shot during an argument in the 1100 block of Stratford Road. Luis Medina, 27, was arrested March 14 in Moses Lake and booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault and drive-by shooting.  

Then on March 12, Kurt Volquardson, 61, was found dead. MLPD has thought the death was related to a possible overdose. However, on March 18, a Moses Lake man confessed to killing Volquardson, who was his roommate. This case is still under investigation, according to Sursely.  

On the same day, GCSO was called out to State Route 174 East regarding a domestic violence incident. While deputies were investigating, the suspect, Duane Crinklaw, 25, ran outside. Deputies established containment and used a drone to search for Crinklaw. He was found hiding in an outbuilding. He was booked into Grant County Jail for second-degree assault, kidnapping and obstructing justice. 

On March 14, MLPD, GCSO and Washington Fish and Wildlife deputies responded to a shooting at the Hiawatha homeless camp near the 1000 block of North Frontage Road East in Moses Lake. After the suspect was captured, the weapon turned out to be a BB rifle. Jonathan Pray, 25, was lodged into Grant County Jail for investigation of first-degree assault and investigation of second-degree attempted murder. GCSO Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said the case is now with the prosecutor’s office.  

The same day, GCSO responded to another call of a dog attack involving a 4-week-old baby boy. As of March 19, the child was receiving care from a local hospital. It is unknown at this time how the infant is doing. GCSO continues to investigate which of the seven dogs caused the attack. Foreman said there are no other updates regarding this case.  

On March 21, a drive-by shooting resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy and injuries to a 17-year-old female, 17-year-old male, 12-year-old boy and 26-year-old Crystal Santoyo. On March 24, the first of three suspects, a 14-year-old male, was arrested at Kadlec Hospital in Richland. He was booked into juvenile detention and is facing a charge of murder in the first degree. On March 27, the U.S. Marshal Service named the remaining two suspects, Jose Beltran-Rodriguez, 20, and Mathew Valdez, 18. The next morning, Valdez was arrested in Beaverton, Ore. On March 30, MLPD announced the arrest of Beltran-Rodriguez. Both Beltran-Rodriguez and Valdez initially faced a charge of murder in the first degree, five charges of assault in the first degree, as well as drive-by shooting and felon in possession of a firearm. 

Further coverage of the matter can be found here: https://bit.ly/MLPDDB325.  

On Saturday, March 22, an Othello man was placed under arrest on suspicion of attempted first-degree assault after a dispute at an Othello-area business escalated to gunfire. Omar Negrete Galvan, 22, was arrested for the assault charge and for possession of a weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm. The incident, according to ACSO, started as an argument between Negrete Galvan and an employee at the business, Johnathan Enriquez, 23, of Othello. Negrete Galvan sustained a non-life-threatening wound to the leg and was taken to an out-of-area hospital for specialized treatment of his injuries. The cause of the altercation is still under investigation, according to ACSO. 

On March 27, ACSO had two high-speed chases, resulting in a total of four arrests. In the first incident, two Ritzville men, Chad Pichett, 23, and Boone Holm, 29, were arrested after a chase that started in Ritzville and ended near Lind. When ASCO deputies finally stopped the car, Pichett fled on foot temporarily before he surrendered. Pichett was booked on charges of eluding a police vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, driving while license suspended in the third degree, violating a no-contact order, aiming or discharging firearms/dangerous weapons, reckless endangerment and multiple warrants. Holm is facing charges of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and a Washington Department of Corrections felony warrant.  

In the second incident, the Washington State Patrol contacted ACSO, asking for help with a traffic stop on the southbound side of Highway 395 about three miles south of Ritzville. The vehicle fled from the trooper, initiating the pursuit. The vehicle continued southbound on Highway 395 at high speeds. The vehicle eventually came to a stop. The driver, Alex Rivera Jr., 35, exited the vehicle and was booked on charges of attempting to elude a police vehicle, third-degree driving while license suspended and operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device. The passenger of the car, Daniel Rivera, 33, of Sunnysid,e moved to the driver’s seat and fled the scene southbound. Daniel Rivera was arrested and booked into jail on charges of attempting to elude a police vehicle and third-degree driving while license suspended.  

On March 29, the MLPD began investigating a second drive-by shooting on Olympic Drive in Moses Lake. Nobody was injured in the shooting. MLPD Captain Jeff Sursely told the Columbia Basin Herald there is no known connection between this incident and the March 21 drive-by shooting or others in the county that have occurred in recent months. Two juvenile males, 14 and 17 years of age, were arrested and are facing charges of first-degree assault and drive-by shooting.  

For more information on these incidents, visit our Crime page at https://bit.ly/CBHCRIME.